Fate Plays Favorites
by Ziek Aramaik
Summary: Wally West was the Flash's biggest fan. Eager to become a superhero himself, he recreated the experiment that gave the Flash his powers. That's how he developed super speed... and epilepsy.
1. Prologue

**_And it looks like I am shaking (but it's just the temperature)_**

ZIP!

A streak raced through the streets of Gotham City several miles per second. If someone took a freeze-frame snapshot of it, they might get the blurry image of a redheaded teenager wearing a dark jacket and goggles.

_My name is Wally West and I am the fastest kid alive_.

A purse-snatcher had put several blocks of distance between himself and his victim, but a blur grabbed the purse out of his arms and returned it to the owner before anyone knew what happened.

_That line would make a really good intro for when I'm famous and have my own TV series. 'Cause I'm definitely gonna become a real superhero one day, no matter what my family says_.

Another robber was holding a woman at knifepoint. The crime rate is horrible in Gotham City. It's like nighttime in New York City, except, you know, all the time. Fortunately, a gust of wind swept through the scene, and suddenly the mugger's knife was in the woman's hand, and her other hand with _his_ cell phone was positioned up to her ear. The voice on the other end said, "Nine-One-One, what is your emergency?"

_Ever since the Flash first appeared, he's been my idol. I'm not sure why it was him, out of all the heroes in the Justice League, I was drawn to in particular. Maybe it was fate. Either way, I dreamed of being a hero just like him. I wanted to grow up to _be_ him... I'm talking about the current Flash, of course. I only learned about the first Flash through him. It's a long story._

The boy dashed all over the city, keeping an eye out for anyone else who needed help.

_The current Flash, the famous one everyone knows, is actually the second Flash. The _original_ Flash was a man named Jay Garrick. He got super-speed powers back in the 50's because of a freak accident in a chemical lab. Right now he's eighty-something and retired, but he was a crime fighter for a _long_ time._

_There was another man who was a really big fan of his. He wanted to get those same super-speed powers and continue the legacy. So he deliberately recreated the accident that gave Jay those powers. That man is the current Flash, hero of Central City, co-founder of the Justice League, and my personal hero too._

_I also really loved my uncle, Barry Allen. He was a forensic scientist, so he knew all about the chemistry and science stuff I liked. I was at his house one day and found some notebooks in his room. I wasn't snooping or anything! I was just looking around. At first I thought it was a bunch of notes he copied out of a chemistry textbook, but it wasn't. It was all of his research about the Flash experiment and how it affected his body. That was the day I found out my uncle, Barry Allen, was the Flash._

_I was ecstatic! (And a little angry he hid it from me, but mostly ecstatic.) I felt like it was fate. The hero I idolized so much turned out to be a member of my own family. And I figured: if Uncle Barry recreated the experiment to be like his hero, I could do the same. I _really could_ fulfill my dream of being another Flash!_

_Uncle Barry said I wasn't allowed to try it. I was too young, it was too dangerous, stuff like that... but I did it anyway. I copied his notes and did the experiment in my garage. So now that I have these powers, you might be wondering why I still need to sneak away to Gotham City to do the hero stuff. Well, that's another long story._

He ran down the sidewalks too fast to be seen.

_It starts with a small explosion in my garage._

BOOM!

.

Barry Allen ran into the hospital room. "I'm sorry I'm late! I got here as soon as I could!"

Wally West, age thirteen, put on a brave face and cheerfully said, "Hi Uncle Barry!" as if nothing was wrong. He was lying back on the hospital bed with his head and arms wrapped in bandages.

Barry's wife, Iris, and Wally's parents were standing around the bed. Barry was the last to arrive.

"I told you not to do this, Wally," Barry said sternly. "I _explicitly forbade_ you from trying that experiment."

Wally diverted his eyes, his brave face crumbling.

The day he found the notes, Wally ran to his uncle and asked up front to become his partner. Barry refused and insisted that he didn't need a partner. Wally kept pestering him sometimes after that, but Barry didn't expect the boy to try it on his own. It was a very complex experiment. He didn't think Wally would risk trying without Barry's supervision.

Barry's face softened. He turned to Iris. "How is he?"

"Well, the doctors don't seem confused or amazed, so it looks like the experiment didn't work," Iris answered. The reporter in her was naturally explaining the facts without letting the stress bother her. "His heart rate's normal. Motor skills and reflexes are all normal. He has chemical burns and he's pretty banged up, but the doctors expect a full recovery. No apparent superpowers."

"Thank heaven for small favors," Wally's mom said.

"I don't get it," Wally muttered impulsively. "It worked for you and Mr. Garrick. You had a reaction right away." He thought back to the chemistry set and all the other tools he handled in the garage. "What I'd do wrong? I was so careful to do it exactly like it said in the notes..."

"How do you remember exactly what my notebook said? That was weeks ago," Barry asked.

Wally looked guilty and replied, "The next time I went to your house... I brought a digital camera and took pictures of every page."

"You did what?!"

"I didn't want to do that experiment 'cause I was fooling around! I really worked hard at it. I wanted to make sure I did it exactly right."

"Did you even understand the science behind those notes?"

"Of course I did!" Wally hesitated. "Most of it... I looked up everything I didn't..."

Barry ran his fingers through his hair. "I - I - I just can't even believe this. I can't believe you would do something this reckless on your own - after I told you not to!"

"You did it on your own," he replied meekly.

"I wasn't thirteen! I knew what I was doing. I work with chemicals for a living, Wally. Where did you get those chemicals anyway? That's not the type of stuff you find in a chemistry set. How did you even know where to look?"

"Um..." Wally looked guiltier than ever. "Do I have the right to remain silent?"

Barry buried his face in his hands.

Wally's mom glared at Barry. "This is your fault. This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't stumbled onto _your_ notes."

"Mary, that's not fair!" Iris said.

"No, she's right," Barry replied. "I should have hidden my research better. No, I should have burned it."

"This is not your fault," Iris said.

"There were _my_ notes. He was copying _me_. Of course it's my fault."

Iris put a hand on his arm. "Barry, I don't blame you. Wally doesn't blame you. You shouldn't blame yourself either."

"I think Wally himself deserves the real blame," his dad said. "It is not other people's job to _forbid_ you from experimenting on yourself, Wally! You should know better! I swear, out of everything you've done... You're grounded - for a month - _at least!_ That's no TV, no internet, no games, _definitely_ no chemistry crap, no _nothing!_ Do you understand?"

Wally didn't say anything. He was staring into space, eyes not really focusing on anything.

"Wally, are you even listening?" his dad yelled.

No response... at all.

His family lost all their anger and switched to worry. "Wally, are you okay...?"

His dad shook the boy's shoulder. He didn't react. "Wallace?"

He shook harder. "WALLACE!"

Wally snapped out of it and looked at his dad. "I-I'm sorry, what?"

"Are you okay?!"

The boy was confused. "Yeah? I guess I just... spaced out a little. Must be the pain meds they got me on."

"Wally..."

"I'm sorry, dad. I wanna rest a while," he said quickly. "Can we talk later?"

"Yeah, of course."

The boy sank back into his pillow and closed his eyes.

"We'll leave you alone," Iris said softly. She and Barry turned to the door.

"Barry," Wally's mom called. "I'm sorry about what I said."

"It's okay," he replied. He wasn't bitter. The tension of the moment had all been diffused.

The uncle and aunt left the room. The parents sat down by his bedside, silently watching over their child.

.

A few days in the hospital, then a week at home, and Wally was fully recovered.

He seemed exactly the same as before the accident, except for a bigger appetite which he blamed on having to choke down hospital food... And his parents complained that he started daydreaming so much that they couldn't get his attention... Besides that everything seemed normal.

The experiment supposedly had no side-effects.

His dad only grounded him for that one week and called the time in the hospital the difference. Even if he were allowed to use his chemistry set, Wally wouldn't have bothered trying the experiment again. He still didn't understand what went wrong the first time. More importantly, he was out of those not-exactly-illegally-obtained chemicals.

Wally hoped deep down that it was just a delayed reaction. The previous two experiments gave the previous two Flashes their powers almost immediately, and with significantly lesser injuries. Wally was discouraged when his experiment turned out so differently, but he still hoped that his body was slowly transforming. He would secretly test his speed and reflexes after being released from the hospital. But all the time he was grounded everything seemed normal.

He still hoped however. And that's why, when he discovered he could run around the block in a few seconds, he was excited but not surprised.

"Uncle Barry! Look! Look! It really did work!"

Wally sprinted to his uncle's house and ran circles around him. Now that he had super-speed, the boy restarted his petition to become a superhero. Wally explained, in an objective and logical way, exactly why the Flash needed a partner. It went like:

"Please?!"

"No."

"Please?!"

"No."

"Ple-"

"NO!"

"But Uncle Barry-!"

Barry counted on his fingers. "One, I do not need a partner. Two, even if I did, it's too dangerous for you."

"No it's not. Look!" Wally gleefully super-sped around the living room a few more times. "I have the same powers as you. I can protect myself. And you _so_ need a partner. I mean there are new Rogues popping up all the time. What's wrong with having an extra pair of hands?"

"Having superpowers is not enough, Wally. They do not _automatically_ make you qualified for this line of work. You don't have any experience-"

"Neither did you when you started. You got experience in the field. And now you're the greatest superhero ever!"

"And I still get hurt, Wally! I'm not invulnerable. Even with all my powers and experience, it's _still_ dangerous even for me."

"That's my point. You keep being the Flash anyway! Besides, I have a major advantage you don't."

"What's that?"

"I have you for a teacher!"

Barry sighed.

"Look, if you can be a superhero, why can't I?" Wally asked.

"For one thing, you're a _lot_ younger than I was when I started."

He grinned and shrugged it off. "Just because... I..."

He stopped grinning. His eyes stopped focusing.

Barry scrunched his eyebrows. "Wally...?"

Wally suddenly tensed up and fell flat on his back. His whole body shook violently, banging his head and limbs on the floor.

"WALLY!"

Barry grabbed the boy's shoulders and tried to hold him still. He thrashed under his uncle's restraint. His eyes were rolled back in his head. Spittle formed in the corners of his mouth.

"IRIS, CALL AN AMBULANCE!"


	2. Diagnosis

**_Hate to break it to you (but it's out of my control)_**

The convulsions stopped on their own after a few minutes, but Wally was still unconscious by the time they loaded him onto the ambulance. He woke up during the ride. He was scared and confused, but Uncle Barry was with him and explained that he had a seizure and that they were taking him to the hospital. Wally didn't understand, but insisted that he felt _fine_ now and, _no_, he just got out of the hospital, he didn't need to go back, there was _nothing_ wrong with him.

Wally continued to insist he was fine until they were pushing his gurney to the examination room. That's when he had his second seizure.

.

Wally's dad ran into the hospital room, and Wally's mom immediately ran into his arms. As soon as he got the call he bolted out of work without even telling his boss he was leaving, but damn if he didn't want to get here even sooner.

He looked around the room. Barry was there, too ashamed to make eye contact with anyone. Iris was there, trying to stay strong for everyone else's sake, though she was clearly affected by the events too. And Wally was there, asleep in the bed. He looked peaceful, but there was an oxygen tube under his nose and an IV in each arm. Wires stuck to his chest monitored his vital signs.

His dad pulled away from the hug. "How is he?"

His mom swallowed and said, "He had another seizure when he got here. They - They did a bunch of tests. He's been asleep ever since."

He looked around the room again. "Why did they take him to a different hospital than last time? I don't know if our insurance is good here..."

"It's been taken care of," Iris spoke up. "This is one of the special clinics the Justice League uses. The doctors here know about Barry's identity and have _everything_ about his powers and the experiment on file. I promise Rudy, whatever happened to Wally, they will figure it out."

"So this is where the Justice League goes when they get hurt," he replied. "No wonder it felt like going through the secret service to get here."

"Wazzat 'bout the league?" a groggy voice asked.

"Wally!" Everyone ran over to the boy who just woke up. His mom leaned over and hugged him as best she could without actually moving him off the bed.

"How do you feel?" his dad asked. His mom moved up and let him answer.

"Sore... I ache all over..." Wally said with a groan. His eyes wandered around the room, settling on the IVs sticking into him. His heart rate increased. He was awake now. "What's goin' on? Did they put me under? Was there an operation?!"

"Wally, please, calm down," his mom placed her hand over his own. "There was no operation. And they didn't knock you out... You passed out... Y-You had a seizure."

He was confused. "Uncle Barry told me that in the ambulance, but I-"

"You had another one," Barry said, speaking for the first time.

Wally was silent for several seconds. "...I don't remember."

A nurse entered the room with a doctor following close behind her. While the nurse silently swapped out Wally's near-empty IV bag, Wally's dad stormed up to the doctor before he could get a word out.

"Doctor, I don't want any kind of double-talk. I want to know _exactly_ what's going on! Is this a side effect of those damn powers or is it some kind of drug doing it?"

"I am not on drugs!" Wally protested loudly.

"Then is it the chemicals he was using _acting_ like a drug?!"

"Mr. West, please," the doctor interrupted. "It was not an overdose. The seizures were not caused by drugs." The doctor looked around the family before looking back to the father and saying simply, "Your son has epilepsy."

The whole family was caught off-guard by that answer.

"Epilepsy?" Wally's mom repeated.

Wally was confused again.

The doctor resumed, "We'll do an EEG and an MRI to confirm it - determine the specific type - but there's no doubt in my mind."

"Wait, what's epilepsy?" Wally spoke up. "I _thought_ that was the thing that meant some kids couldn't play video games. But I wasn't playing a game when I passed out..."

"It's not quite that simple. It's..." The doctor thought about a way to explain it to a child. "You know how, when you move your hand, it's because the brain sent a signal to your hand telling it to move, right?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, epilepsy is a condition where the brain randomly sends out signals that over-stimulate the body. It's not necessarily caused only by flashing lights. It's something your body does on its own, unexpectedly."

"So my body is over-stimulated?"

Wally fell silent, letting the information sink in.

"Hold on, how did this happen?" Barry asked. "Did the experiment do this? I did the same experiment he did. So did Jay. This never happened to us."

"There are several ways to explain that," the doctor replied. "He could have had a different reaction because of his age. Or his physiology could naturally be different. For all we know, Wally could have had epilepsy to begin with and the super-speed is just a coincidence that triggered his first seizure. We'll need to do more testing to get more information."

"Wait..." Wally spoke up again, worriedly. "Wait... You said this happens randomly. Does that mean... there's no way to stop it? I'm gonna start having seizures all the time?"

"No," the doctor answered emphatically. "Not necessarily. There are lots of treatments for epileptics."

"Is there a cure? A permanent cure? Is there any way to just _undo_ the whole experiment?" Wally's dad asked.

Wally looked up and lowered his eyebrows. "You mean, except for the super-speed, right?"

"No, the speed too."

"Dad, I was _trying_ to get super-speed. I want to get _something_ good out of-"

"We've seen what happens when you do whatever you want, Wallace!" he shouted.

The harsh words silenced him.

His father turned back to the doctor. "Well?"

The doctor frowned and answered, "Well, there's no known method for removing super-speed, but like I said we can treat the epilepsy. Some medications might eliminate the seizures completely... That being said, Wally has a hyperactive metabolism now," the doctor gestured to the two IV tubes. "We don't know how that will affect any medications yet."

"This is a nightmare," Wally's mom said.

Iris put her arms around her shoulders. "It'll be okay, Mary. It will."

"This is all your fault," Wally's dad yelled at Barry.

"No it isn't!" Iris shot back to her brother.

"Whose fault is it then?" he asked.

"Last time you said it was Wally's," she said.

"That's different! I was just mad!"

"And now you're mad and taking it out on Barry. It's neither of their fault!"

"Everyone, please calm down," the doctor said.

"He was following your example!" Wally's dad turned back to Barry.

"Oh my God," Wally's mom said over the others.

"I didn't want him to try it!" Barry yelled back. "I _told_ him not to. We _all_ told him not to!"

"People, please!" the doctor said.

"But he did it anyway!" his dad yelled.

"**QUIET!**" The nurse said in a voice that would make Loretta Swit jealous. Everyone in the room was silenced, including the doctor.

The nurse continued sternly. "I know this is a lot to take in, but that bedside manner isn't doing Wally any favors. I recommend that you focus on helping the patient recover instead of pointing fingers. And remember this is a hospital. I'd appreciate it if everyone stayed calm." The nurse nodded and left the room.

Wally didn't really remember what happened after that. He was lost too deep in his own thoughts to pay attention to his family.

The feeling of failure crushed Wally. It was worse than the first time he thought the experiment didn't work. Sure, he got super-speed like he wanted. But he messed up and gave himself a major side effect - a weakness Barry and Jay did not have. The feeling of failure was worse than the actual seizures. He messed up and he couldn't take it back.

_What am I going to do now?_

.

**_Author's Notes_**:

I have no idea where this story came from.

Normally my stories have a specific, identifiable inspiration. They're based on a specific "what if" and I can usually remember what first made me think of it. **_This_** concept, however, popped into my head totally at random. I had no idea what it would amount to, and yet there was a voice in my mind insisting, "There's potential for a story here!"

So, here we are. "What if Wally West was an epileptic." I don't have much in terms of a linear, chronological plot, but lots of ideas. I'll probably jump back and forth in time, showing different events in Wally's life. I'm very eager for feedback.

This should go without saying, but for the record, this story is not meant to be indicative of what epilepsy is normally like. This is fiction. Wally gets symptoms and social stigma as plot demands.

I'm not trying to be preachy or make any kind of statement about what epileptics are or aren't able to do. I'm just writing this because I think it makes interesting drama. If I _were_ to make a statement, it would simply be to say that each case is different and deserves individual treatment and respect. And I apologize if I offend anyone who lives with the real thing.

_**Disclaimer**_:

This is fan-written story that uses, without permission, the likeness of "The Flash," "Kid Flash," and other characters owned by DC Comics. I make no profit by posting this story online.


	3. School

**_God will forgive them, I guess (but whose side are you on?)_**

Wally and his entire family experienced a paradigm shift. But they adjusted quickly. They had to.

Wally could just barely run below the speed of sound - which might sound like a lot to most people, but it was significantly less than Uncle Barry's top speed. Despite that, his metabolism was faster than Barry's, forcing him to eat a lot more. It was a higher cost for a lower payoff. It sucked.

It was insignificant compared to having seizures everyday, of course.

Wally met with Dr. Caitlin Snow, a biologist and an old friend of the Flash. She had experience designing medicine and such for speedsters. She researched epilepsy medications and modified one to compensate for Wally's metabolism. But even in concentrated form, Wally still had to eat several pills a day.

The pills made Wally nauseous. Not a good thing for someone who had to eat at least six times a day. And they didn't seem to stop the seizures anyway. Dr. Snow explained that, even for "normal" epileptics, medications don't always work. He would need to experiment with different brands and dosages to see what worked best for him. The whole situation sucked.

But his dad stopped hitting. Wally figured he was afraid of breaking him or something. So there's that.

Wally and his mom met with the principal at Wally's school. They spoke with most of the staff, explaining his condition. They didn't mention the superpowers, of course. Wally couldn't tell anyone about that. It had to be his handicap that everyone knew him for.

Once he started school again Wally spoke in front of the class. He explained to his classmates what an epileptic was. He showed them his medical ID bracelet - a stainless steel tag with the blue Star of Life on one side and the word "EPILEPSY" on the other. He told them what to do if he had a seizure - not much that _can_ be done except to lay him down on his side and _don't_ put anything in his mouth; swallowing your tongue is a myth.

It felt like Show and Tell, except one or two thousand times more embarrassing. But nobody asked any stupid questions. His classmates listened attentively and politely like they would with the teacher. Wally took that as a good sign. Maybe he could deal with this.

.

Wally woke up slowly. He remembered sitting at his desk during history class. Now he was on the floor and the teacher was holding him.

His tongue hurt. His muscles ached. His mind was groggy. But his ears were working fine.

He heard laughter.

"Everyone, quiet!" the history teacher ordered. The other kids didn't listen.

They were _laughing_ at Wally.

Not the entire class, but not just one or two people either.

"Shit, man! You should have seen yourself," someone said with a hysteric grin. "You looked like you were being electrocuted!"

Wally thought, _Being electrocuted is funny?_

He felt something wet running down his chin. He thought it was drool, but when he wiped it off his fingers he saw it was blood. He bit his tongue.

He was _bleeding_ because he just had a _seizure_ and they thought it was funny.

"Everyone, settle down!" the teacher repeated. She helped Wally up to his feet.

Wally felt weak. He leaned on his desk for support. He didn't want to be here anymore. "Ca' I go tso 'e nurses offish?" he slurred with his injured tongue, which only prompted more giggles from the class.

"Can you make it there by yourself?" the teacher asked.

He nodded.

"All right. The nurse can call your parents and they can pick you up from there."

He shook his head. "I don' nee' zo go home. I jus' wan-"

"Wally, just go." That's when Wally realized the teacher was irritated because Wally interrupted the class.

He walked towards the door. He noticed that some of the kids who didn't laugh looked at Wally like they felt sorry for him. Other kids turned their heads away, refusing to look at him.

He left the room and closed the door behind him. He didn't want to be there a moment longer. After looking down the hallway and seeing no one was there, Wally forced himself to run super-fast to the nurse's office. Which was a mistake, because while he was tired before, he was ready to collapse when he arrived a second later. He knocked on the door, pushing his weight on it, and went inside without waiting for an answer.

The nurse was typing at her desk computer, doing whatever nurses do when they don't have patients. She looked at Wally and saw the smeared blood on his chin. "Wally, are you okay?" she said with genuine concern. He noticed that she didn't ask, "What happened?" Wally and the nurse became well acquainted back when he and his mom were having all those meetings.

"Ca' I go lie dow'?" Wally was already heading for the bed on his wobbly legs when he asked.

The nurse rushed over and helped him walk. "Of course. Do you need me to call your parents?"

"No, I jus' wanna sleep ih off for a mini," he answered.

"Well, let me clean you up first-"

"I'm fine." He pulled away and fell onto the white sheets. His tongue already stopped bleeding.

The nurse was still concerned, but didn't press him. "All right. Just call me if you need anything. I'll be right over here." Wally groaned a non-committal response as she walked back to her desk.

Wally would probably get his energy back by the next class. But he really was thinking about calling his mom and going home. Either that or just ditch school on his own. He didn't want to be around those kids right now.

They _laughed_ at him. They laughed _at_ him.

Wally honestly didn't think people like that existed. Before today, he wouldn't have believed that people would know what he was going through - know how serious it was - and laugh at him anyway. That happened on after school specials. You heard about bullies like that in "those other places." Wally had trouble accepting the fact that it happened in real life. People just were not supposed to be that cruel.

Wally wasn't that popular to begin with. He was sort of a nerd and got teased for it, a little. But that was different. It hurt less.

He used to think a "bad guy" was a super-criminal, like the Rogues in Central City. But the Rogues had standards. They didn't attack innocent women or children. They didn't go out of their way to hurt people for the sake of being evil. They were just greedy. The Rogues still gave a damn about other people. But the kids in class laughed at him because they just didn't _care_.

What kind of a world did Wally live in where he considered supervillains better people than a few kids at school?!

.

Later that day, Wally did some research online. He looked up websites about epilepsy. He looked up personal stories from epileptics who were trying to give advice and encouragement to others.

Wally found one story from a high schooler. It said that he was really nervous telling his friends about his condition, but once he did they were very understanding and accepting. Once he explained things no one at school made fun of him for it.

_I guess it's just _my_ school then_, Wally thought. He closed the browser.

_Unless it's just_ me.

Wally skipped his meds that night.

.

**Author's Notes**: (11/29/2014) Special thanks to all the people who reviewed and followed this story! I was overwhelmed (not just whelmed) by how many people read this. I guess that's the perk of posting in such a popular fandom.

Special cameo appearance by Caitlin from the new "Flash" TV series. Shame on me for not thinking of her or Cisco in the previous hospital chapter.


	4. Start

.

**_You think I can't fly? (Well you just watch me!)_**

.

Wally met with Caitlin again and got a new prescription. This one didn't make him nauseous, but it didn't stop the seizures either. Wally skipped the meds whenever he could get away with it. His family got mad when they found out, but Wally figured if the meds didn't work anyway, then what's the point?

Barry and Iris came over for dinner one night. After the meal Iris spoke with Wally's parents while Wally and Barry talked in the other room. Wally asked him about the Flash's recent adventures. It was fun - for both of them - now that Barry could explain all the firsthand details as "here's what I did" instead of "here's what I heard the Flash do on the news."

After wrapping up the most recent tale, Barry changed the subject. "So... How's the new medication working?"

The boy grimaced and gave a little shrug. "You know... Same old same old."

Barry lowered an eyebrow. "Are you still skipping sometimes?"

"Of course not," he lied.

He wasn't sure if Barry believed him or not, but the other man said, "Well, just keep trying it for a while. Maybe it'll help once it builds up in your system a little."

"Nothing stays in my system very long, Uncle Barry. Sometimes I'm on my way to the bathroom almost as soon as I finish chewing."

Barry laughed. "Yeah, I know what that's like. Did you know I can't get drunk? It was a shock when I first found that out. I was at a bar with my friends and no matter how many shots I put down I couldn't even get buzzed. I was only twenty-five and my drinking days were over."

Wally smirked. "I guess mine are over before they even started."

"When you think about it, our hyper-metabolism is like a handicap all on it's own," Barry said with a chuckle.

Wally diverted his eyes. He didn't chuckle.

Barry cleared his throat. "Uh, s-so what else is new?"

"Well, I have a lot of time on my hands now. My parents say I can't play video games anymore. We don't know if they'll trigger a seizure or not - they probably won't since TV and internet seem to be fine - but they don't want to risk it. And on top of that, I'm using my super-speed to get everything done faster: my chores, my homework, studying. It's awesome, but now I have all this free time and I don't know what to do with it."

Wally looked right in his eyes and smiled as he said that last bit, hoping to drop a hint.

Barry smiled. "It's a little funny how you're using superpowers just for regular stuff..."

Wally decided to be a bit more direct. "Well, I _could_ always use it for _super_ stuff..."

Barry stopped smiling. Now he got the hint.

"I'm still serious about doing the hero thing, you know." Sensing rejection, Wally backpedaled a bit. "Before everything happened, you kept saying I was too young. But maybe when I'm older, I could..."

He saw the look on Barry's face. The older man diverted his eyes, looking sad, feeling _pity_ for Wally. Wally saw that expression all the time at school.

"Not even when I'm older, huh?"

"Wally," his uncle spoke gently, "we don't know how long your... symptoms... are going to last and..." He trailed off, looking guilty.

"No, no, just say it: Epileptics can't be superheroes."

"_Most_ people can't be superheroes. And there are still _tons_ of things you can be."

"Just not the thing I went through hell trying to get," he deadpanned.

"The hero thing is dangerous. I get _attacked_. And you can pass out literally anytime, without warning. If you ever passed out during a fight, even once... It's too big a risk."

"Uh-huh."

In the back of his mind, Wally could see the logic of his uncle's point, but in the front of his mind, he was wrong. He was _so_ wrong.

Wally should have known. Uncle Barry was against it since before they discovered the epilepsy. Even if Wally was cured overnight and never had another seizure in his life, Barry would never allow him to go on patrol. So what were the odds of it happening while he was _handicapped_? Why did he even bother asking?

"Whatever. I'm going to my room." He got out of his chair.

"Wally," Barry spoke up, "you keep acting like being a superhero is the only thing you want to do - the only thing _worth_ doing. But it's not. There are tons of things you can do that are exciting or meaningful. It doesn't have to be wearing a costume and chasing bad guys."

"Yeah?" Wally asked. "Then why don't _you_ quit?"

Barry couldn't respond, and Wally took that opportunity to speed away to his room.

.

Wally read that epileptics were, potentially, allowed to drive. But they had to go _six months_ without having a single seizure before they can even _apply_ for a permit. Wally could barely last two days.

He read somewhere that about thirty percent of epileptics can't manage their seizures even with medication. He had no idea how accurate that statistic was. He also had no idea how his super-speed induced epilepsy factored in.

Wally's whole future was a giant "unknown." It was a blank page nobody knew how to fill in yet.

"I can't wait for the future then..." Wally muttered.

.

He waited until Saturday. No school. Wally headed for the front door, wearing a big dark jacket. He had his fingertips on the doorknob when he heard his mom's voice. "Wally...?"

He turned around. His mom was smiling kindly at him. "Where are you going?"

"Out."

"Where?"

"I dunno yet," he answered nonchalantly. "I just feel like going downtown. I've been cooped up in the house for ages. I'll probably get something to eat while I'm out too."

"Alone?" His mom wasn't smiling anymore.

"I've done it before," he said with a shrug.

"That was _before..._"

Wally forced himself to smirk. "What? Am I not allowed to go _outside_ anymore?"

She didn't answer right away. And Wally knew she was actually thinking about it.

Ever since his diagnosis, Wally never went anywhere except school or the doctor's. He certainly never went anywhere by himself. His parents thought it wasn't safe for him to be unsupervised, but they were hesitant to officially forbid him. They danced around the issue up until now.

"I can drive you wherever you want to go."

"I'm not going anywhere specific. And I don't want to drive. I just want some air."

"But-"

"Please, mom? I'm going stir crazy! I just want to be on my own for a while, like a normal kid." Wally pulled up his sleeve. "Look, I have my ID bracelet on. And I have my phone with me. If anything happens, I'll call and come straight home, I promise."

She still hesitated.

Wally added, "It will take my mind of my problems."

It was a low move, playing on her sympathy. But it seemed to work. She nodded and said, "All right. But be careful. If _anything_ happens, call and I'll pick you up."

"Don't worry, mom," he said eagerly. "Everything will be all right. I'll only be out a little while anyway. See you later." And he rushed out the door without another word.

Wally ran to the corner of his block at normal speed. He looked all around himself to make sure nobody was watching, and then he took off his medical ID bracelet and stuffed it deep into his pocket, where no one would find it.

He was relieved he got away with only vague answers about where he was going. It allowed him to lie a little less. Wally reached into his jacket and took out a large map. He unfolded it, flipped it sideways and upside down, and double-checked the shortest route from Central City to Gotham City. "Let's see, north is that way so..."

He couldn't do any crime fighting in Central City. He couldn't do it anyplace _near_ the Flash or his parents. But Batman usually worked at night, so Wally didn't expect to run into him either.

Re-memorizing all the twists and turns on his course, Wally crumpled the map up and stuffed it back into his jacket. Then he took out a pair of goggles and wrapped them around his head. Wally pointed himself in the right direction and kneeled down low, fingertips touching the ground, in the same position he took before a dash in the track team.

Wally quit the track team because he had to hide his speed - and _not_ because of his other condition, like everyone at school thought. He originally joined the sport because he was a fan of the Flash. He wanted to run like his hero. He wanted to be fast like a speedster. It was like play-acting. But Wally didn't need to pretend anymore.

He wasn't _like_ a speedster anymore. He _was_ a speedster.

Whether his family liked it or not.

ZOOM!

.

_**Author's Notes**_: (12/07/2014) I planned more scenes for Wally's life at school and home, but decided to skip them and move ahead with the story, as Wally attempts a hero career. I'll flashback to those other scenes later.


	5. Gotham

.

**_So don't tell me if you're off to see the world (I know you won't get very far)_**

.

On his first day in Gotham, Wally stumbled onto a real life bank robbery. He wasn't expecting to tackle such a major crime on his first day out, but now that he saw it, no point in looking the other way.

Wally saw the police cars and ran ahead to see where they were headed. A black van was parked outside the bank, its driver wearing a ski mask. Looking through the building's front window, Wally counted three more men in ski masks and they each had a rifle. Every other person in the bank was down on their knees with their hands on their heads, except for one teller who was stuffing cash into a bag.

Wally thought about what to do. Fortunately, he thought fast.

_Don't fight them. Don't confront anyone directly. Just get the danger away from the hostages and make it easier for the police._

"Hurry it up, people!" one of the robbers shouted.

A gust of wind blew past him. And before he could react his gun was pulled out of his hands.

The second robber's gun also vanished.

The third robber was pointing his rifle at the teller. But a blur raced by him and suddenly his gun was also gone. The bag was mysteriously empty too; the money stuffed back into the teller's drawer.

The driver of the getaway van felt the door open, and before he could register what happened the ignition was off and the keys were missing.

A moment later the gust of wind swept back through the bank and all the robbers' masks vanished. The security cameras easily caught their faces after that.

Wally went to the alleyway closest to the bank and put the three rifles, the keys, and the masks into the dumpster. The police would find them once they came to arrest those guys, whereas the thieves wouldn't have time to look around.

He raced away from the bank, and the police cars arrived about a minute later. The police found the four robbers trying to hotwire their own car.

.

Three teenagers were chatting in an outdoor basketball court. Across the street a kid ran by, tripped over his own feet, and skidded on the ground. The trio noticed right away, and they got worried when they realized he wasn't getting up.

"Hey... You okay?!" They ran over.

The boy was lying on his belly with his head turned to the side. He looked about thirteen with red hair and, for some reason, wearing goggles. But what the older teens really paid attention to was the way he was shaking and twitching all over. His eyes were vacant. He started drooling.

"Oh my God. I think he OD'd on something."

"Seriously?!"

The one who spoke first quickly dialed on her cell phone, while the other two rolled the boy onto his back.

"Nine-One-One. What is your emergency?" said the voice on the phone.

"We need an ambulance! Someone's having an overdose! We're on... Uh... We're on Eighty-Eighth Street, across from the basketball court. Please hurry! He looks really bad!"

"We're sending an ambulance there now. Ma'am, can you tell me what it's an overdose of?"

"I don't know. I don't know this kid, we just found him like this."

The boy was still shaking. One of the two teens kneeling by his side reached for his mouth, but the other one pulled his hand away. "What are you doing?!"

"We have to stop him from swallowing his tongue, don't we?"

"Not with your _fingers_, stupid. He could bite it off. Use a pencil or something."

He searched through his pockets and found a pen. It would have to do. "Hold his head still."

She put a hand against each side of the boy's head, but he still shook under her restraint. Her friend stuck the pen into his open mouth, pressing hard against the tongue. He was able to get a good look at the boy's face while doing so.

"I can't believe this guy is a druggie. He's so young."

"What kind of sick freak would sell to a kid like this?"

It seemed like forever, but the boy soon stopped shaking. His glazed eyes closed shut. The trio was terrified at first, thinking that the OD killed him. But they quickly realized he still had a pulse. He was apparently just sleeping now.

They heard sirens. "Finally!"

"Ugh..." The boy quietly groaned.

The trio stood up and waved their arms towards the ambulance. "We're over here!"

ZIP!

They felt a gust of wind behind them, scattering small bits of paper and trash. They turned around.

"Where'd he go?!"

The kid was nowhere to be seen.

"He took my pen."

.

Wally spat the pen out of his mouth. His tongue hurt. So did his teeth and his gums. It felt exactly how it _would_ feel when someone shoves a plastic pen against a chattering jaw.

He ran on instinct. It took a minute or two for the confusion to clear up, and then he pieced together what happened back there.

He leaned against the wall and breathed heavy. It was the worst he ever felt after a seizure. His head and neck were especially bad. Thankfully, it didn't seem like he broke anything. It was also lucky he didn't lose bladder control this time.

"I passed out while on patrol... I feel horrible... but I lived. Take that Uncle Barry."

Wally sped out of the alley.

.

Wally returned home with a brave face, trying to hide how exhausted he felt. His parents didn't seem to suspect anything. They probably assumed Wally would tell them if he had a seizure... like he promised.

The rest of the night was uneventful. The next morning Wally had another seizure at home, and he was strangely grateful for it, since he rarely had two seizures in one day. It allowed him to return to Gotham City with a little less worry.

"So how was the movie?" Wally's dad asked when the boy returned home in the evening.

"It was dumb," he answered without missing a beat. "The popcorn was great through. But the guys at the concession stand probably hate me now. I abused the 'free refills' rule for all it was worth," he said with a smile.

It's official. Wally was a _way_ better liar than Uncle Barry. It's a wonder how the man kept his secret identity for as long as he did.

Wally did feel a little guilty for lying to his dad. But he pushed the feeling away. After all, every superhero needed to lie sometimes to protect their identities. And Wally was a hero now. Nobody in Gotham actually saw him, but he still did good work.

And today he did it without collapsing. He was on top of the world. Nothing could get him down now.

.

On his third trip to Gotham City, Wally got the shock of his life.

Okay, the _real_ shock of his life was finding out his uncle was the Flash. But this was big too. He saw the Batmobile.

Wally just walked out of a store with a new pair of sneakers - his old ones, understandably, were falling apart from accelerated overuse - when a van went racing down the street with the _freaking Batmobile_ chasing after it.

The Flash was Wally's personal favorite superhero, but Batman was _the_ superhero. Except maybe for Superman, Batman was the biggest name in the business. He was the name bad guys ran away from really fast. And Gotham City may have been his turf, but he was famous for hunting villains at night. Wally seriously didn't expect to cross paths with him in broad daylight.

Wally was very intimidated at the thought of being seen by a professional hero, but no way was he gonna miss this.

He ran ahead on the sidewalk, overtaking the two cars in less than a second, and then up onto a building's fire escape. Wally tried to stay out-of-sight as he watched them. After the Batmobile and its target drove past him, he super-sped to a new building to watch them drive by again.

A compartment opened up on the front of the Batmobile, and started firing darts at the van's tires. One of them hit, the left rear tire blew out, and the van swerved and came screeching to a halt. The Batmobile stopped close behind it.

The van's driver came out with his hands up. Wally kneeled down low and watched carefully through the metal bars. The driver wasn't wearing a costume but - though Wally couldn't be completely sure at this distance - it looked like his face was made of semi-transparent plastic. If this was someone from Batman's Rogue Gallery, Wally didn't recognize him.

The Batmobile opened up, and out came both Batman and Robin. "Looks like you're _finally_ out of tricks," the young boy boasted.

His hands still up, the man replied, "Not yet, Dynamic Duo."

He slammed his palm against the van. A barrel sprung out of the top and fired a powerful shot at the Batmobile.

Batman dodged right and Robin dodged left. The Batmobile automatically closed up, shielding itself from the attack. Robin rolled out of the blast range, unharmed, but as he looked up from his crouching position he saw the masked man aim a gun at him.

BANG!

Wally ran as fast as he ever did. Down the fire escape, down the alley, down the sidewalk, as he ran he grabbed the metal lids off three trash cans and stacked them on top of each other.

CLANG!

Robin and the masked man saw a blur race between them, but there was no sign of a bullet. The enemy's moment of confusion was more than enough for Batman to apprehend him.

Meanwhile, Wally ran far away from the battle. He used the layers of trash lids to block the bullet, and he was feeling pretty awesome about it. Wally just saved Robin, the Boy Wonder, the archetype for young heroes. What better accomplishment could there be for a young hero-in-training? The bullet was still lodged inside the makeshift shield. Wally plucked it out and smiled.

"Cool... Souvenir." He dropped the lids on the ground and ran home.

Back at the fight scene, the criminal was defeated and handcuffed. Batman kept a strong grip on him, and looked at Robin. Robin looked back. Neither said a word, but their looks conveyed a lot of information.

.

Barry was in his forensics lab, typing on the computer, when his cell phone rang. The screen read, "_The number cannot be displayed_."

He knew exactly who it was. "What's up, Bats?"

"Just to confirm, you weren't in Gotham City the last few days, were you?" Batman asked.

Barry raised an eyebrow. "No. Why?"

"There's something you should know..."

.

_**Author's Notes**_: (12/15/2014) The villain Batman and Robin were fighting was False Face, who first appeared in the 1966 TV series.

In this chapter, the by-standers who didn't know better held Wally's head still and put a pen in his mouth. Don't imitate them. If someone in real life is having a seizure (for any reason), _do not _try to hold them still or stop them from shaking. This could cause a bone dislocation. Also, do not put _anything_ in their mouth. They could bite it off and choke on a fragment. People sometimes bite their tongue or cheek during a seizure, but this is usually minor and generally un-preventable.

Based on the research I did for this story, here's some tips on what you _should_ do if someone has a tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizure:

1: Help the person lie down, and roll him or her onto their side, with the head angled down. This is so they don't breathe in excess saliva. (While swallowing your tongue is a myth, it _is_ possible for the tongue to temporarily block the airway, but this position will prevent that too.)

2: Place something soft under their head and neck.

3: Take off their glasses (don't bother with contact lenses) and loosen tight clothing.

4: Keep track of how long it takes. Tonic-clonic seizures usually last less than three minutes. If it takes more than five minutes, call an ambulance.

5: Many people stop breathing or turn a little blue during a seizure. Don't panic. This isn't serious as long as they resume breathing once the convulsions are over.

Beyond that, there's not much else you can do. There's no special trick for making a seizure end faster. Just try to stay calm and wait it out.

Finally, thanks as always to everyone who read and reviewed this story.


	6. Confront

.

_**Give it some light and God's pure love**_

.

Wally found the ambulance and the fire rescue truck racing down the street. He ran ahead.

He found two cars crashed into each other at an intersection. The hood of one of them was already smoking, and the ambulance was still a good thirty seconds away.

Wally looked through the windows. Car number one, with the smoking engine: one adult driver. Car number two: one driver and two child passengers. All four were apparently unconscious. And with the wreck likely to burst into flames at any moment, Wally wasn't going to wait until they got out on their own. He opened the door of the second car and was about to undo the driver's seatbelt, when a horrifying realization struck him.

The driver was a middle-aged man, weighing one hundred and eighty pounds at least. Wally was thirteen years old. He wasn't strong enough to lift and carry an unconscious adult.

He didn't let himself think about it. He focused on the kids instead. It took him less than two seconds to carry them out to the sidewalk. But then he was back where he started. Car number one looked like it could catch fire anytime, the fire truck hadn't arrived yet, and there were still two people here. Wally wasted precious milliseconds panicking about what to do. Should he try _dragging_ them out?

That's when a red blur - too fast even for Wally to see clearly - swept around the broken cars. It took about half a second for the two drivers to be brought next to the children lying down on the sidewalk. It took a tenth of a second for Wally to realize what happened. And it was nearly _instantaneous_ for Wally to understand what it meant.

He was caught.

Wally ran away from the accident. He super-sped to an alleyway. He stopped and panted, trying to calm his thundering heart.

_No no no no no no no no_...

_He_ was here. He came to Gotham. He was looking for Wally. He knew Wally was in Gotham. He knew what Wally was doing. He knew everything. Wally's whole family probably knew everything by now. Wally - who had epilepsy, who was explicitly forbidden from being a superhero, who lied to his parents in order to come here - was caught. _Wally was caught_.

The boy heard a gust of wind rush behind him. He turned around.

It was the Flash.

It was _the_ Flash, in all his glory. His costume wasn't a petty, street clothes mock-up, like Wally's hoodie and goggles. It wasn't Halloween trick-or-treat. It was the real thing with quality enough to make Hollywood movie sets jealous.

The Flash was here, in Gotham City. And he was glaring at Wally with the most intimidating stare the boy ever saw from him.

The Flash - Uncle Barry - was Wally's hero. It was Wally's _dream_ to be like him. Wally _desperately_ wanted to become a hero himself and stand alongside the Flash. But now that the moment was here, all Wally wanted to do was crawl into a hole and die.

Wally ran. He turned around and was halfway down the alley in the time it would take most people to close their eyes. But the Flash went and blocked his path in even less time than that.

"You are going home," he ordered. "We need to talk."

For the first time in his life, Wally seriously considered faking a seizure. He would have done anything to get out of this. But he knew trying that would only make things worse.

.

Wally, his dad, his mom, Aunt Iris, and Uncle Barry in civilian clothes stood in the living room of the West house. All five of them were arguing about Wally's escapades, with varying degrees of volume. When he would think it over later, Wally didn't remember how the entire conversation went, but it was mostly like:

"What the _HELL_ were you thinking?!" his dad screamed.

"Why did you go to Gotham of all places?" Iris interjected, only a hair calmer than the other three adults. "That's hundreds of miles from here. If something happened to you, we would never know about it!"

"If you knew what I was doing, you'd try to stop me," Wally shot back.

Iris stared at him. "What does that _tell_ you, Wally? Huh?"

"Oh my God! How could you do this?" his mom shouted. "Are you _trying_ to kill yourself? Did you even _think_ about what would happen if you had a seizure up there?"

"Oh, no, I never think about the fact I'm an epileptic," he said with more venom in his voice than he thought he could muster. "It's not like people throw it in my face all the time."

"This isn't about your epilepsy," Barry said.

"What? Yes it is!" Wally's mom yelled.

"It would have been wrong even if he _didn't_ have epilepsy!" Barry replied. He turned back to Wally. "You cannot do this ever again! You cannot sneak out of the house to-"

"I did not sneak out! I had permission to leave. Mom just never specified how far I could go."

"Don't blame this on your mother!" his dad screamed.

"I thought you were going around the block, like any sane person would! How could I know you wanted to sneak off to _another state_ so you could get into _fights_ with _criminals_! Oh my God, Wally! Criminals have _guns_! What if you had a seizure and someone shot you?!"

"Stop treating me like I have seizures every ten minutes!"

"But what if you did?!"

"I don't go picking fights, mom!" Wally yelled. "I never instigated anything! I just kept my eyes open for people who needed help! If I'm running by and I see someone who's getting mugged or whatever, what am I _supposed_ to do?"

"You're supposed to call the police, like a normal person!" his dad said.

"And then what? Run to safety and tell myself 'it's not my problem'? No! If I have the power to help someone, then I'm gonna use it!"

"You have to help yourself before you can help someone else, Wally," Barry said. "You can't put yourself in that kind of danger."

"That's a double-standard!" he protested.

"What are you talking about?"

Wally pointed a finger at his uncle. "You put yourself in danger to help people! You wanted powers, so you gave yourself powers! You did the _exact same thing _I did and no one jumped down your throat for it!"

"That's different! I was an adult when I got my powers! I knew what I was doing!"

"So, because I'm under eighteen, I'm too stupid to know what I'm doing?"

"We know you're not stupid, but you're sure _acting_ stupid," his dad yelled.

"It was wrong to do that experiment and it's wrong to pretend to be a vigilante," his mom added. "It's too dangerous!"

"And don't use your uncle as an excuse because I don't like it when he does it either," his dad resumed.

"You don't get it," Wally insisted. "I saved lives back there! People are alive because I was there!"

"Wally, listen," Iris spoke up. "You know how sometimes there's an accident on an airplane, and those oxygen masks fall from the ceiling? It might seem 'noble' to help other people put on their masks before you worry about yours, but it's wrong. If you don't have oxygen, you might not have the strength to help the person next to you, and then _neither_ of you gets a mask on. You have to get your mask first, and _then_ you can help the other person."

"That's not-"

Barry interrupted Wally. "Batman has a friend who is a doctor. When he first started being the Batman, his friend told him something, and Batman told me when I joined the Justice League. The number one rule of being a doctor is to _stay alive_. You have to be alive in order to save your patients' lives. And it's the same for superheroes too. It might seem heroic to sacrifice yourself while helping others, but it's wrong."

Iris and Barry hoped their speeches would have an effect on Wally, but it was the opposite effect they expected.

"How dare you say that to me!" His expression was filled with rage. "I am not 'sacrificing' myself! Stop treating me like I'm gonna drop dead the moment I go out into the real world! I did good work in Gotham - lots of good work! It wasn't an accident or a fluke. It _proves_ that I can do this job."

"That doesn't prove anything," Iris replied. "Just because you were all right so far doesn't mean something won't go wrong in the future. It's like playing the lottery everyday."

"Maybe I should stay locked up in a box all day, like _ALL_ epileptics?!" Wally said sarcastically.

"If that's what it takes, fine!" his dad replied, not sarcastically.

A rare moment of silence.

Wally stared at his father in horror. "You can't mean that..."

"I'm serious," he said sternly. "I will lock you in your room twenty-four-seven if that's what it takes to make you stop playing hero. I'd rather have you in a jail cell than a morgue."

"That's not fair! I only pass out for a few minutes a day! And doesn't my speed make up for it? I can take care of myself!"

"Powers do not make you a hero!" his dad yelled. "You are _not_ a hero! You are Wallace Rudolph West!"

"Well, I don't like being Wallace Rudolph West!" he shot back. "There! I admit it! _That's_ the real reason I dress-up like a hero and run to Gotham! I've wanted to be special for my entire life. I wanted to be _better_. And that feeling only got stronger since..." His voice trailed off for a moment. "Well now I can be. When I'm out there, I'm not 'the epileptic kid'. I'm not someone to laugh at or feel sorry for. I'm a hero! And I'm _not_ gonna give that up just because you guys are scared."

"I know how you feel," Barry said, "And if you could manage your seizures, it would be different. But there's just no way we can risk you passing out during a fight, especially with someone like a Rogue."

"You can't run away to a fantasy world just because you have problems," his dad resumed. "You think you're the only one in the world who has problems? I got teased and bullied in school too, you know. When I was your age I used to get the shit beaten out of me!"

"Did you ever meet someone who was afraid of touching you?" Wally asked coolly.

That question silenced everyone in the room. Wally took advantage of it. "Any of you? Do people take the long way around to make sure they don't brush against you by mistake? Some people do that to be mean. But other people aren't trying to be mean. They just feel... uncomfortable... when they have to be around you. They feel 'funny' when they look at you. Do people do that around anybody in this room, besides me?"

The adults were somber. His mom gently said, "Wal-"

"Well, until they do, don't play the 'I know what you're going through' card. You. Don't. Know." Wally's face was hot, but he refused to cry. "All I want is a chance to prove to myself that I'm better than this! _How dare you_ tell me that I'm not allowed to take a break from being..." he gestured to himself, "..._this_!"

He didn't let them respond. He sped upstairs to his room and slammed the door behind him.

.

Wally lay on his back on his bed. His family didn't immediately run after him, like he thought they would. They gave him the time alone he wanted.

He didn't read any comic books or do anything else to kill the time. He just stared at the ceiling and thought. He enjoyed little fantasies about running away and doing a hero career on his own, but he knew they were just fantasies. There was no place he could run to that Uncle Barry couldn't find.

He didn't know what his family would say once he had to face them again. Wally just desperately hoped he wouldn't have one of his seizures in the meantime. If he had one at a time like this, his family would just twist it to fit their argument.

Eventually there was a knock on his door. "Wally?" It was Uncle Barry. Wally rolled over, away from the door.

"Wally, I'm coming in." He turned the knob, but there was a big pile of books and dirty laundry blocking the door. Wally knew it wouldn't really keep anyone out; he just did it for symbolism. It took Barry several seconds to push past the barricade. But he didn't get mad. Once he was in the room, he wordlessly took the desk chair and sat down next to the bed. Barry looked at Wally's back. Wally glared at the wall.

"Your parents and I talked it over - a lot," Barry said. "You _cannot_ go out on patrol by yourself ever again." Wally scowled. "But you can go as long as I'm watching you."

The scowl faded.

Wally sat up and faced his uncle. "Really...?"

"I can't promise everyday," Barry said. "But when I have time, and I'm not doing any world-saving-level stuff with the Justice League, you and I can go patrolling together here in Central City."

"I... get to be your partner...?"

"There are conditions. You have to do _everything_ I say, _exactly_ as I say it. If I tell you 'today's not good, you can't go,' then you can't go. If we're out and I say 'wait here,' you wait. You can tell me what's on your mind at the end of the day, but don't argue with me when we're in the middle of something. Also, you have to be completely honest with me about your health. If you're not feeling well, please, don't try to hide it. Can you agree to all that?"

Wally nodded eagerly. "Yes, I agree."

"Also, stop skipping your meds," Barry added.

Wally stopped smiling. "That's more annoying, but I'll do that too," he said obediently.

"This isn't a contract, you know. It's a privilege. Even if you do everything we ask, your parents or I can revoke it for any reason. Understand?"

"I understand. But..." He looked at his uncle with hope. "You _will_ take me with you... at least sometimes... right?"

Barry nodded slowly. "Yes, I promise."

Wally thought he was going to cry. He jumped off the bed and wrapped his arms around his uncle. "Thank you, thank you, thank-"

"It'll have to wait a while, though," Barry said casually. "Your parents grounded you."

He pulled away. "What?! Why?!"

Barry looked at him deadpan. "You mean _besides_ running off to another state more than once without telling anyone?"

Wally thought about this. He smiled embarrassedly. "Okay, yeah, I'm definitely grounded."

"Well, look on the bright side. It'll give me time to get a costume ready for you. Something better than that hooded jacket you were using. And you can use the time to think of a name."

Wally nodded. "A name. Yeah... okay. I guess I'll need to. People are gonna see me this time... The new me."

"Just so you know, it can't be 'Speedy'. That's taken."

"By who?"

"Green Arrow's sidekick."

"Green Arrow has a sidekick? When'd that happen?"

"I'm not sure? I actually think he's been around since before Robin."

"Oh. Well, I never paid attention to those other guys anyway." Wally smiled. "The Flash was always my hero."

Barry smiled sheepishly.

"Thanks, Uncle Barry," Wally said, "for sticking up for me. For convincing my parents to let me do this."

He stopped smiling. "Actually, I was arguing _against_ it for a while."

Wally blinked. "Oh..."

"I have to be honest with you, Wally. I really don't like the idea of putting you in this much danger. And _not_ just because of the epilepsy, but because you're a kid. In a lot of ways, you're like _my_ kid, Wally. I want to keep you safe... But I can't blame you for wanting to run, either. I know how you feel - and I _do_ know, this time - how much you want to use your speed and go all out."

Barry ruffled Wally's hair. "Speedsters have their own kind of special needs, I guess?"

Wally smiled awkwardly.

Barry stood up. "I got to get going. We can talk more later." He moved some of the laundry aside and opened the door.

"Uncle Barry..."

He turned and looked right into Wally's eyes, without a shadow of pity or discomfort. Not a lot of people did that anymore.

"Thank you... anyway... I mean it."

He nodded. "Sure thing, kid."

.

_**Author's Notes**_: (12/31/2014) I don't really want to imply that it's okay for Wally to take this kind of risk, so I struggled with this chapter right up to the end. This chapter seems climactic, but it's really just one step on Wally's journey. The conflicts with his family and with his symptoms are far from over.

_**Disclaimer**_:

In case nobody caught it, all the chapter titles come from song lyrics done by The Dresden Dolls.

"The number one rule to being a doctor is to stay alive." This is a good line and I wish I could take credit for it, but it actually comes from Akira Date of the TV series "Kamen Rider OOO."

Another line I can't take credit for: "Some people turn away because they feel... 'funny'... having to look at you." This comes from an episode of "Adam-12," featuring a policeman who grew up with a stutter. Feeling "funny" is the type of thing non-handicapped people don't think about, but realize is true once they hear it.


	7. Debut

.

_**The rates are better in the summer**_

.

The wait was agonizing.

Wally had more free time than he knew what to do with _before_ he was grounded. And during his punishment he didn't even have TV or internet to busy himself with. Pretty much all he did after school was read comics (which he liked except he read them all before), study (which wasn't fun but was tolerable), and take medication (which he absolutely hated).

But he didn't argue. The wait was agonizing _because_ Wally knew something good was coming at the end, and he wouldn't risk it slipping away.

And eventually the wait was over.

.

He had a yellow and red costume with thick padding that protected him from sudden crashes and impacts. The goggles rested across his forehead. An open-top mask allowed him to feel the wind through his hair - hair dyed a brighter red to match his outfit and obscure his identity.

He wasn't Wally West in that costume. He was Kid Flash.

He was the Flash's partner, sidekick, and protégé.

.

Ironically, nothing special happened on their first day of patrol in Central City. The two heroes stopped a few petty muggings and rescued a few people from accidents. They went in and out of each scene in an instant - no special effort was made to introduce Kid Flash to anyone. It honestly wasn't much different from what Wally had been doing on his own in Gotham City.

But he was with the Flash. The teenage hero was finally running alongside his idol. And that made all the difference in the world.

Wally was literally living his dream. It was too good to be true.

..._too good to be true_...

Wally pushed the thought away, and told himself to enjoy the moment.

.

Kid Flash did not have a seizure during the first day on patrol. But he did the second day.

Fortunately, it didn't happen during a fight or a rescue, but it happened while he and the Flash were running down the street at super speed. Kid Flash unexpectedly started slowing down until he collapsed, skidding across the pavement for several yards.

The Flash immediately scooped the convulsing boy up in his arms and super-sped to a deserted alleyway. He wasn't really supposed to carry someone in this state, but he reasoned it would only be for a fraction of a second, and he didn't want to risk anyone seeing Kid Flash like this. It would be very bad if the Rogues thought Kid Flash had a weakness they could exploit, to say nothing of his secret identity.

He laid Kid Flash down his side, and used his own lap as a pillow for the boy's head. The Flash held onto his shoulder so he wouldn't roll over. He felt the tremors beneath his hand and on his lap. He heard the teeth chattering. And he waited.

The Flash thought to himself that Wally never had seizures at super speed, and he wondered if that was good or bad.

The convulsions lasted about a minute - a relatively short seizure. Then his body calmed down. "Kid, can you hear me?" the Flash asked gently. "...Kid?"

His eyes slowly fluttered open, as if he were waking from a nap. The Flash didn't rush him. Kid Flash groggily looked at his surroundings, and then up into his uncle's mask. He winced with embarrassment. "I did it... didn't I?"

"Yeah. Are you hurt?"

Kid Flash pushed himself up into a sitting position. "I don't think so..." Even though he crashed and skidded on the street, his suit cushioned his face and limbs. He was a little sore, but he wasn't even bleeding, thankfully.

"We should go home now," the Flash said.

"What? N-No, I'm good. I can keep going."

"We agreed that you wouldn't argue with my instructions."

"I'm not arguing! I'm just letting you know, I _can_ keep going. I don't _need_ to go home."

"We can start again another day," the Flash replied.

Kid Flash didn't really believe they would.

His family was panicking at the idea of him having a seizure while out on patrol. Kid Flash hoped that once he got the first one out of the way, it would somehow make things easier. But the reality now felt different.

He felt like if he went home now, he would never be Kid Flash again. But there was nothing he could say.

While still kneeling low, the Flash turned so his back was towards his nephew. "Hop on."

"I don't need you to carry me!" Kid Flash protested.

"You're tired, aren't you?"

"I had seizures in another _state_ and I was still able to run home on my own."

He probably shouldn't have mentioned that.

"Well, today you don't have to," the Flash retorted. "You can think of it as V.I.P. treatment."

A piggyback ride is _not_ V.I.P. treatment, Kid Flash thought.

It made him angry to get babied like this, but - even though he would never admit it out loud - his legs did feel tired.

Kid Flash wrapped his arms over his uncle's shoulders. The Flash stood up and held the boy's legs in place.

"I wouldn't do this if you weren't making me," Kid Flash mumbled.

"I know."

They took the trip home in silence.

.

The two heroes changed back into civilian clothes at Barry's house. Kid Flash went back to being Wally West. His uncle stored both their costumes here, in his home. Wally figured he did that so the teenage hero wouldn't sneak out on his own.

Wally put on a brave face and smiled. "You don't have to walk me home. I'll be fine on my own."

He walked towards the front door. "See you next time, okay Uncle Barry?"

"Yeah... Next time."

They hadn't talked about what happened this afternoon. Barry knew that the boy was suppressing his embarrassment.

"Wally."

His nephew stopped, but he kept his hand on the doorknob and didn't turn to face him.

"About next time... Aren't you scared of doing this again?"

"Of course I'm scared," Wally answered quickly. "There'd have to be something wrong with me if I wasn't scared."

Barry was surprised by how easily he answered.

The boy lowered his head, and Barry couldn't see his expression. "But... I'm scared _all the time_, even when I'm not doing something dangerous. Staying at home and playing it safe doesn't make me feel better."

Wally turned around and looked at his uncle. "You know what having epilepsy is like? It's like playing 'Guess Who'."

Barry was confused by the analogy since it seemed to come out of nowhere. "The board game with all the faces?"

"What...?" It was Wally's turn to be confused for a second. "No, no, the other one. You know, where someone sneaks up behind you, covers your eyes, and shouts 'Guess who?' And you're supposed to guess who it is? It's like that.

"It's like there's someone waiting behind you... all the time. Everywhere you go... You never know when he's going to cover your eyes next. There's no warning. There's no 'Guess Who.' But all of a sudden, everything stops. And then you wake up and wonder what happened. You turn around to see who it is, but no one's there. It's just you."

Wally looked his uncle in the eyes. "I know you and mom and dad don't like it, but _not_ quitting this job is the only way I know how to fight back. I mean, I _love_ being Kid Flash. And if I'm gonna have seizures anyway no matter what I do, then I might as well do what I love. Does that make any sense at all?"

Barry nodded. "Yeah. It does make sense."

_I can't say that it's right, but it does make sense_.

They stood in silence for a while. Wally started to feel awkward after ranting so much.

Barry spoke up. "I _will_ see you next time... at least."

"Thanks..."

Wally left the house and went home, walking at normal speed.

.

**Author's Notes**: (2/1/2015) It seems a lot of readers are eagerly waiting for Wally's interactions with the Team. I already have a few planned out, and I did intend to jump back and forth in the story's timeline, but still, I felt it was important to really establish Wally's hero career before looking into the future. Sorry, it'll still be a chapter or two before we see Robin or company.

**Disclaimer**: The "Guess Who" analogy was a late addition to this chapter. It comes from the anime _dot-hack/SIGN_. I was rewatching an episode the other day - "Conflict" episode 17 (16 if you don't count the clips episode) - Tsukasa, who recently died and was resurrected, compared the experience to "Guess Who." But as I listened to him speak all I could think of was my own fanfiction. The simile was so perfect I threw it in immediately.


End file.
